Ian Chalermkittichai’s food at his sizzling hot Soho restaurant, Kittichai, is a savvy modern take on authentic Thai, incorporating local and seasonal ingredients without stinting on the spice.
For this summer menu, the chef tones down the flash to focus on traditional Thai classics, like this iconic grilled-beef salad—rare strips of grilled flank steak tossed with sweet-and-sour tamarind dressing and dusted with rice powder. Sticky rice is its natural companion. Everything achieves that elusive, cuisine-defining balance of sweet, salty, and sour—even dessert, a creamy tapioca pudding that soothes the salad’s delicious burn.